Ellie's 5th Birthday

  On May 19th Ellie turned 5!!! I LOVE holidays with Ellie because she anticipates and gets excited about every little detail. She loves the planning and loves the day of, and I have a hard time not spoiling her because every detail delights her. She has always been uniquely mature in this way- always so aware of the little things that most young children wouldn't notice.
  We talked about her birthday for months and she knew just what she wanted. She got to plan her "party" and her food menu for the day, and she had even picked out an outfit and had it laying on the floor by her closet for about two weeks before her big day. I really, really, really just love this girl. She has settled into an easy and enjoyable stage where she is mature and helpful and very positive. I stayed up late the night before her birthday as I aways do wrapping presents and hanging the birthday banner, and making batter for her birthday crepes. BJ always has the job of blowing up about 20 balloons to fill the birthday kid's room with. I love having traditions in our family, and these sweet little details make everything feel so fun, exciting, and familiar.

That happy birthday smile and her darling pink presents. There was the cutest pink popsicle wrapping paper at target this year that she loved, along with pink and purple balloons! Lorenzo gave her a singing card (another tradition- my kids think these are the funniest things ever) that sang "Everybody Dance Now!". She got all American Girl Doll gifts. A new doll, and some accessories and clothes for her doll, as well as a matching birthday dress for herself and her new doll, Leah.

We opened presents and ate crepes together as a family, and then Ellie went to preschool for about an hour.

BJ's mom offered early on in the year that she wanted to take Ellie to the American Girl Doll store in LA for her birthday. Ellie and I decided that this could be her party and after thinking about it for a lonnnng time Ellie decided she wanted a special family birthday with just me and Sweetheart. Getting out of the car after the long, two hour drive Ellie was literally on cloud 9. She was so cute holding Sweetheart's hand walking down the street. I swear she had sunbeams shining out of her. She couldn't have been happier. A mom's greatest reward.

  We had a darling lunch in the American Girl Cafe and then walked around the store, and then headed home. It literally took us almost 3 hours to get home because of the traffic. Ellie was a trooper. When we got home I made spaghetti and meatballs and salad- her requested dinner, and after some playing outside we got out her beautiful red velvet cake and sang Happy Birthday and had cake together as a family.

  Ellie's birthday was a joy. She was deserving of every fun, special moment. I love her, and am proud and grateful to be her mother. We are blessed to have you, Ellie Layne!